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Show THE GREEN SHEET 2 Thursday, January 21, 1988 2izrn: ugwfpooinnr Letters Police Must Set The Example In Increasing Seat Belt Use Utahns are faring well with the 65 mph limit but need to improve highway safety through increased seat belt usage. That was the message from the Utah Dept, of Public Safety when it put the states safety record up against that of 22 other states recently surveyed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Utah had no increase in deaths where the speed was 65 mph or above and actually experienced a decline in the total number of fatal accidents. Other states had a 50 percent increase in 65 mph highway deaths. When seat belt statistics are compared, Utahns are on a par with the rest of the nation, but highway safety officials feel there is a need for improvement. We agree. In this area, the department claims, enforcement is critical. A letter has been 'sent to all public safety chiefs stressing the importance of the public perception that seat belt and child restraint laws being enforced. Both Sandy and West Valley City have alefforts to do just ready made that and should be commended for the ef- Editorial speed ing the belts. Freeways statewide showed 45 percent use. Of even greater concern was the statistic cf only 24 percent of the states children under age five being proper- restrained However, another study showed Utah with a 22 percent seat belt compliance rate, the lowest of 32 states surveyed. Who do you believe? Actually it doesnt matter. The fact remains that a large perly centage residents fail to wear seat belts. Although well-publiciz- ed forts. Statistics are misleading on just how well Utahs child restraint and seat belt laws are working. Salt Lake County leads the way in the UDPS survey with 40 percent of the motorists in compliance with the state seat belt law. In St. George only 17 percent w?re us- - of Utah ' it is impossible to legislate com- mon sense, the Legislature has passed the laws and it does behoove law enforcement agencies to enforce them. However, it is difficult to convince the general public that the seat belts should be used when it is not uncommon to pass a police car and see that the officer apparently has neglected to "buckle up." The Green Sheet suggests that all public safety chiefs make it mandatory that officers wear their seat belts off duty and on. We also urge private citizens to join the growing number of "converts" to seat belt usage. There is no doubt that restraints are' effective in reducing deaths and injuries. Supreme Court Did Not Rob Kids Of Freedom Of The Press Heres my two cents worth the flap surrounding the on Supreme Court decision on school newspapers. : Let me say at the onset that I feel I am as staunch a supporter of freedom of the press as anyone. This column on more than one occasion has touted that sacred freedom. Without it America would not be America. She no doubt would cease to be free. Unfortunately, that freedom is sometime abused. Often we who By the same token the publisher has power over the editor and the remainder of the staff. We might be able to sneak something by him now and again. He and I teaching future reporters and might even engage in some editors "the ropes." For example battles royal over news content. when page layout is taught, some But we had better reach accord lofty ideals concerning creativity and I had better not sneak too disagree. The real world of journalism is not what its cracked up to be. Even university professors take an ivory tower approach to are charged with playing the watchdog role make mistakes. But we plunge on, secure in the knowledge that the Constitution guarantees us the right to call things as we see them. On the surface, it seems right and sensible that (he same rights ought to be extended to high school students and their school newspapers. I can see why many feel the Supreme Court really blew it in this instance by ruling that school principals do indeed have the right to censor the contents of student publications. It would be easy to hop on the bandwagon of all those foul. who are calling Censorship is an ugly concept One teacher pointed out that tomorrows future journalists are being robbed of an opportunity for a "real-lifexperience." e Thats where I feel forced to are expounded. Never once taking into consideration that with the exception of the front page and a few other pages, ads will have a huge impact on what can actually be done.' On this Viewpoint page appears a letter from a reader who wants to know why our crossword is on the back of the television listings. We havent much control over the placement of the TV listings. Its based on the number of pages required by Classified Ads. Some weeks youll find the TV listings in the front of the paper, some weeks in the back. Its one of those tradeoffs that must be made. Generally the crossword and TV listings wont mix, but its not a promise we can make and keep. Its not until youre actually on the job that you discover that a great deal of what you can accomplish depends upon the success of your advertising sales staff. News and advertising staffs need to work as a team, but it takes a long time to learn that. Our lofty ideals sometimes clash with their tasks. mCRioiTH But Im not against Woman Liberation . . . youre free to go anytime! But back to that nasty topic of censorship. The government has no right to do that. But is the principal the government or does he represent management - e.g. the publisher? Or even the editor. Though that role is usually assumed by a student on a school newspaper in reality the responsibility is the -- teachers. Certainly, as an editor, I have certain powers of censorship. If I dont like what a reporter writes, youre not going to see it. That reporter has two options. He or she can accept my decision or he or she can seek employment elsewhere. Where another editor may or may not exercise those same powers. many things past him or ignore too many of his requests of I will be invited to join the unhappy reporter in a job search. That, kids, is the real world. The publisher, by virtue of his capital investment, signature on the paycheck and ultimate responsibility for the newspaper, wields the same power as the principal, did in the now celebrated case. So you will have a hard time convincing some journalists that students are any worse off by this ruling. Thumbs Down To You Growing Problem Dear Editor: RE: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: For 31 years I have cleaned my walks and driveway of snow after every snowstorm. People use the cleaned area, even the children and dogs and cats, except the mail carriers (all of them). No matter how deep the snow, he or she, takes the shortest way from my neighbors to my door to the next neighbor. Saving hundreds of steps in the days Dear Editor: work. So Thumbs Down to the Green Sheet for even giving it a mention. Happy New Year , Oscar Hyde Murray Wayne's A Spendthrift To the Editor: I loved the picture of Wayne Owens signing autographs for school children in a recent local newspaper captioned with "Were spending your money." How appropriate. When will our Congressional leaders realize that it is time to start taking responsibility for balancing the budget. Politicians, specifically Mr. Owens, have a keen knack of doing tilings such as raising their salaries, raising our taxes, raising the cost of this or I am very concerned about a growing problem in Sandy. Big, national businesses are moving into our community and are pushing small, locally-owne- d businesses out in the cold. A perfect example of this is the Gart store located on 9400 So. 8th East. According to a source from Garts, their ultimate' goal is to force a new out of business. shop, Sandy this to are by lowering their accomplish They trying ski rental price to the lowest in the valley, even though all the rest of their stores are staying at competitive prices. Its really sad when a store specializing in such a wide variety of merchandise and services has to act in such a disreputable manner, instead of trying to fit into a community, and presenting a respectable business and service to the public. I would hope that the general public would be aware of what is happening, and evaluate what dealers they want to support in the area. The young man who owns and operates Sandy Skim-Se- e is competing with Garts prices to hopefully be able to stay in business, but daily, as he tries to match Garts prices, they once again undercut him. I have been watching this happen for months now, and after confirming what Garts ultimate goal was, I felt the need to make the public aware of what was going on. I sincerely hope this letter will be printed. Thank you very much, Ski-n-Se- e, ski-rent- that and then throwing their hands in the air and Mrs. Rise Argyle "Those dirty, rotten guys that voted to Sandy raise your taxes, theyre disgusting!" Well . . . they exclaiming, are. Mr. Owens promised, if I remember correctly, to vote like a "fiscal conservative" whatever that means. Up to this point he hasnt done a very good job of living up to it in my estimation. In fact, what has Mr. Owens done during his Congressional tenure? As he pointed out, he has been spending not - Puzzled Hello Green Sheet: I would like to question the placement of the Great "N.Y. Times Magazine Crossword puzzle" on the reverse side of equally great weeks T.V. Log. I know layout is most important to a paper but the only our money, but money earned by our children. I Crossword puzzle is a rather difficult one that suppose thats something of an explanation for a requires several days cogitation (at least on my part start. However, it is not an acceptable one. At least and also friends Ive discussed same with). The family likes the "Log" and the "puzzler" is he is out, finally, to tell people what he has really been doing in Washington. using it! Can we hope for a relocation or is it cast in stone? JoAnn Whirledge Best Wishes, JM Midvale Residents Of 'County Islands' Are Satisfied With Status Quo Am I supposed to float away in apathy, and wallow in a drug polluted mind? Maybe that is the bliss of turning our heads from the facts away from whats taking place in our state government today. How is it a change to Utahs constitution is proposed, studied for two years and no one is the wiser? Where have "you" been? How can House Joint Resolution No. 11 exist without the majority concensus of the population of Utah? The Fright Night of Legislative session. Are we falling into a socialistic dream and allowing the godfathers of government to decide our fate. For the past two years there existed an commission that traveled Utahs cities and met with city officials in very small meetings. The purpose of these meetings was to update Utahs Constitution. Somewhere along the line, someone decided to change our form of government for us. There was a section No. 5 telling us we could no longer live in the unincorporated county areas. The brainstorm was called "Forced Annexation". The citizens of these areas have been so content and well cared for, that forming governments was not necessary. Suddenly, two years later, in the 1988 Legislative sessionthereexiststhisHJRNo.il. A wise man gathered 85 county residents together on Sept. 23, 1987 to get the county residents at least one hearing amongst two years of scheduled Revision with the Constitutional hearings Commission. Low and behold three out of 18 were there. For three hours their fears and protests were heard. Yet there is no comfort since the tape recording, (complaints of the county), of this meeting The professional journalist has never been put on paper so that the other 15 deals on a day to day basis with commission members could hear our pleas. It would with see the democratic process has been put to bed. constraints, budgetary image and with how to best Those 21 islands that exist in Salt Lake County present the news within the which no city wanted when they formed their limitations of space and editorial governs, have finally become the door prizes in a restraint as well as with the very large government game. Elected officials handed us over and a gold plated public. We feel like we have earned our platter. The advertisements for these meetings were Even though it is so minimal that they passed in the wink of an eye. freedom. granted by the Constitution, the In this time of cutbacks and no money, why are we veteran journalist feels that going to be forced to pay more for another through his education and Bureaucratic system we didnt even choose? On one hand they proposed we elect a system for experience those rights become ourselves on the other that was wiped off the slate. his. Personally. Whos in charge? A publisher is not likely to hire We the people or "Big Brother?" an editor he does not have Where does it read that the majorities are the confidence in. An editor will hire a green reporter, but will monitor cities around us. that reporters work far more Legislators beware, we aint dead yet. This story the veterans. than may be hard to swallow but it is the gospel truth. closely Our form of government is being threatened by a School principals should be able to place as much faith in the few powerful people who imagine they know whats teacher as the publisher does in best for us. How about these young couples who the editor. Students are just that. have assumed mortgages under the higher interest They are in a learning mode. rates and a second as down payment, just to find a of the press is a roof over their heads. They have not owned a home Freedom wonderful right. But with it since 25, 30 years ago with minimal monthly load of payments. comes a heavy They cant afford even a small increase in city responsibility. One it took me a, long time to feel ready to assume, taxes and fees. Every little bit adds up to a larger position as debt. Where are your "bite the bullet" suggestions despite my editor of the Falls ' Post, the then. student newspaper at Post Falls There are a multitude of repossessed homes in our areas. Many bankruptcies are included. Who is to fnt (Idaho) high school. As I See If the damage of all the government officials that dont truly feel the sting of no food on the table? Do you want more people asking for charity? Maybe I am worse casing this issue, but until youu live down here you cant keep making decisions in our best interest, without first hand facts. We chose to live here in these islands. These fees were less and so were these homes. Now the surrounding regimes require more land since expansion is limited to its boundaries. Who gave anyone the legal right to change the constitutional right of every Utah citizen. It is sad but true that many people have given up their rights to apathy. The listless, pacafistic, paradise of see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil, has taken our freedoms away. Many would say, "Why should you care? Whats in it for you?" Well, nothing! Im a citizen of America and Utah who has seen what the oppressed government of East Germany has done to the will of good people. They stand in line with lonely, solice looks on their faces, with no choices, and very little opportunity. Challenging the' system is out of the question. Thank God for America. We can fight back! Put choice back into Utah government. Write your legislators, senators, congressmen, whatever it takes. All of us should pay less, rather than voting for systems that create more financial burdens. Please write today. Paulina Flint White City The Green Sheet welcomes contributions to both Letters to the Editor" and Is I See It." " Letters should be confined to a length of 250 words or less and not contain libelous comments. They must be signed, but the writer's name will be withheld for adequate cause. We welcome lengthier correspondence for possible use as "As I See It" commentaries. Primary' consideration will be given to those submitted by people with expertise in the topic about which they write. A brief description of that expertise should accompany the submission. All submissions are subject to editing for space and clarity. They may be addressed to: The Green Sheet, P.O. Box 7187, Murray, Utah 84107. one-tim- e i obT tAICS Shes in here for observation. |